When levels of somatotropin are low in the body, a physician may prescribe human growth hormone as a drug.
Deficiency in somatotrope secretion before puberty or before the end of new bone tissue growth, can lead to pituitary dwarfism.
If there is an excess of growth hormone, it is usually because of over-secretion of somatotrope cells in the anterior pituitary gland.
Some symptoms associated with acromegaly include heavy sweating, oily skin, improper processing of sugars in the diet (diabetes), high blood pressure, increased calcium in urine and swelling of the thyroid gland and arthritis.
Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) is a hormone that is injected in cows that increases milk production.